Capture the earthy, verdant flavors of spring veggies with this simple pesto pasta made with kale and almonds. Using kale in a sauce, dressing or spread is a simple way to harness its superpowers (which include a host of vitamins, folate, fiber, magnesium and iron) and accompany other flavors and textures in your dish. Whole wheat pasta brings additional minerals and fiber, for a filling meal with fresh, nutty flavors.
While this recipe calls for kale and almonds, pesto can be made with any combination of greens (like spinach, chard or garlic scrapes) and nuts (like walnuts, almonds or pine nuts), so mix up what’s available until you find your favorite blend.
One-Pot Kale and Almond Pesto Pasta
| Yield |
|---|
| Serves 4-5 |
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10 min | 12 min | 22 min |
Ingredients
- 1 pound whole wheat pasta, like penne or rotini
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped kale
- 1/3 cup finely chopped almonds
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest, optional, for garnish
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.
- On a large cutting board, chop kale, almonds and Parmesan together until very finely chopped.
- Add olive oil, lemon juice and salt, and continue to chop and scrape until a chunky pesto paste forms.
- Add pesto to pasta, along with a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water, tossing to coat and adding more water, as necessary, until pasta is coated evenly.
- Serve topped with extra Parmesan and lemon zest.
- Recipe and photo: Dish Works
